


Ocean Eyes

by Measured



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Day At The Beach, F/M, Fluff, Kissing in the Rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 18:26:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16918014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: Lance attempts to take Allura out on a beach date. The weather, however, refuses to cooperate.





	Ocean Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nigiyakapepper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nigiyakapepper/gifts).



> Post series/season 8/implying there was some kind of happy ending and peace and stuff.
> 
> Lance's love of garlic knots is mentioned in the books!
> 
> Betaed by my lovely gf.
> 
> Happy Holidays, Ching.

The clouds sprung up on this oh so very important day of his and Allura's date. He wasn't sure how to categorize firsts when there was a lot of other things which counted for something, like smiles before he got into his lion and she got into hers, which used to be his.

It all got a little bit complicated.

Even as the wind rose up and some of the other people grabbed their umbrellas, Lance wasn't about to give up so easily. He'd fought Zarkon multiple times, Lotor, Haggar and also Honerva. To say nothing of weird freaky space monsters which tried to lure them in.

A little wind was nothing. Besides, it wasn't like they were going sailing today.

Lance narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at the clouds as he walked on. Not today, Mother Nature, not today. Not on the _date day._

He waited just at the point-- the Marina, where boats bobbed close to their tethers and there was some wildly good pun game going on. He was especially fond of the small fishing boat named _Playing Hooky._

It was just then that he noticed there was a bit of yogurt that had fallen on the side of his shorts, leaving an unsightly splotch near his left knee. He leaned down into the water as inconspicuously as possible and used some salt water to splay away the stain.

All right, good. Shorts? On. Shirt? Left at home, it was beach time. Smile? Big, because Allura was coming to spend time with him.

 _You can do this, Lance._ he thought.

Lance looked up at the sky. Whereas it'd been a pale gray earlier, now it had darkened to a deep gray that was veering ever so closely to black. The sea’s color had darkened as well. He'd planned this date for so long he couldn't even say. After all, space made time kind of wonky, but it was a really long time. And now Mother Nature was closing in, like he'd forgotten to send her a Mother's Day card and he was about to get the tongue lashing of his life.

He pointedly ignored as the boats bobbed more, as the ships came in, and everyone else prepared for the storm. He stood at the dock. The slightly split and faded boards of the dock loomed all the way on to the gray water. He leaned out and waited for her, as patiently as he could manage, considering that he'd been waiting for this day for years.

Allura came into view like a shooting star, a ray of light. Lance could only gape. She charged right past supermodel beauty right into supreme goddess beauty.

Past the _Wow, she's gorgeous_ and enough synonyms to put a thesaurus to shame (which included 'powerful', 'awesome', and 'awe inspiring' among many others) was the very clear thought of: _Wow, was this day with her it worth the wait._

Really, Lance had tried to _streamline_ his ways, if you will. He wasn't flirting with anybody but Allura, and he was keeping the gaze at eye level. But the way she looked today really challenged his gentlemanly resolve.

She pushed back her thick white hair back and smiled. "Your sister said this is traditionally what your Earth kind wears to go to the beach. She personally suggested this one while I was shopping yesterday." She wore a white and gold bikini that showed a whole lot of her beautiful body.

His cheeks burned as he fought to keep what little composure he had left. "Y-yeah, she's right, um... " Lance jerked his gaze away.

 _Wow!_ Allura was the prettiest girl in the entire galaxy-- and he'd know. Not only that, she was a great leader and super smart and she always smelled great, which wasn't to say that Suave Lance was back in the building, because he'd been gone for _ages_ and had been replaced by Cheerleader Lance. Technically Cheerleader Lance had been there all along, but now he had more pom-poms and both said _Allura Is Awesome_ on the handles.

He'd already forgotten all his lines, everything he planned, when he saw her smile.

"You look really great, Allura. I mean, really great. Seriously, wonderful."

She leaned in and gently brushed her hand over his back. "You too, Lance. A shame you don't go shirtless more often. You're quite handsome."

All systems go. Blush at 100%. Suaveness? Nah. Not happening today. He suddenly felt like he understood those cartoons where the cat or whatever it was had steam coming out of their ears and were covered in hearts.

She reached out to take his hand, and he couldn't even stutter. He was sure time had fallen still for a moment like a shift in gravity, not in an _everyone is going to die_ sort of way but in the way that he suddenly knew what it was like when people in love songs went on about walking on air. Everything he'd planned for today was just thrown out the window. All Lance could think was _What a woman. She sure knows what she wants, and will do anything to get it._

And believe it or not, that was him! _He_ was what she wanted! Sure, years ago he would've gone _of course_ , but that was before he really got to know how utterly awesome she was.

He gripped her wrist as the wind picked up. Girls in one pieces, children and mothers all headed up the beach with picnic baskets and discarded dreams held tight. Lance wasn't about to give up so easily. As they came closer to the rows of wooden beach stalls, he realized that Veronica had braved the storm too. She leaned against the stall in cut-offs and a white shirt with the logo of the Garrison on it. She slowly licked at vanilla ice cream, just as stubbornly determined to avoid the weather as he was.

"Ooh, that looks lovely,” Allura said. “I think I will get one as well."

"You should, it's great," Lance said.

She let go of his hand and headed off with determination towards the seller. Before Lance could join her, Veronica spoke up.

"Hey, Lance. Hold up a minute."

"Yeah?"

Veronica gave him a cat-like smile. "If you don't start making a move on her already, I'm going to."

_"SIS!"_

Veronica laughed and playfully cuffed him. "Don't stay out too late. You'll get sick, and then you won't be able to go on anymore dates with the Princess."

As usual, Veronica didn't wait for a goodbye and disappeared towards the well-worn beach path back towards home.

Allura returned with a small cone. She licked white off her lips and shoved the whole thing in her mouth.

"Wait, you'll get brain freeze--"

She looked up at him. Maybe Alteans didn't get that kind of thing.

"Let's go, the stall is right this way."

He led her towards the rapidly emptying beach, to a familiar spot.

Lance was pleased to find that Paulo, the garlic knot seller, still worked on the same beach, even years later. He had more gray in his beard now and deep laugh lines over his weathered face. A large apron, stained with grease and patched over the years, covered his jolly beer gut. Through the grease stains, the faded words _Kiss The Cook_ could be seen. Lance knew from all the stories that it had been a gift from his wife when he started out.

"You caught me just as I was closing up shop before the storm came in." He chuckled. "You always would go for these garlic knots, hell or high water."

"I'm not about to give up now!"

"It's been a while, Lance."

Lance broke into a big smile. "No big deal, just saving the entire universe! By the way, this is Princess Allura! _Did I mention we're on a date?_ "

"A princess? Well, I've never served royalty before." Paulo bowed to her and Allura smiled.

"I am looking forward to trying this Earth delicacy,” Allura said. “Lance assures me your garlic knots are the best in the entire world."

Paulo laughed. "He exaggerates. He always was one for telling tall tales. You should hear his fishing stories."

"I really did catch one that big, but it jumped out of the cooler," Lance cut in. He reached out his hands as far as he could to show the exact size.

"Sure you did. Now, what will you have today?"

"Two garlic knots, please! Actually, make that four. I'm pretty hungry."

Paulo winked. "No payment. Consider it a thank you for saving us and letting this old man see his favorite customer again. You see, Princess, no one in the whole world loves Garlic knots as much as him."

"That's because Paulo makes the best in the whole world," Lance said.

Allura took one bite. Her eyes widened in sheer wonder as she chewed. "This--this is incredible. It's so..."

"Buttery? Flaky, with the perfect hint of garlic?"

"Yes! I must have more!"

"You heard the Princess, Paulo. Four more--actually, make that five. I want to have one more too. It's been so long since I got to taste any of your cooking. I really missed it when I was out in space."

Paulo chuckled. "It seems I forgot to include the entire _Galaxy._ You may just lose your crown yet, Lance."

Lance grinned. He couldn't think of anyone he'd rather give the title to than Allura.

"Oh dear, I'll drop them at this rate."

"See you, Paulo," Lance called back.

Several picnic tables were near the quickly closing food stalls, each with red cloth umbrellas that provided some shade from the merciless midday Mediterranean sun. It'd faded to something closer than pink, and the table hadn't been refurnished in the time he'd left. He caught sight of little carvings like _M + S_ and _Brian loves Judy._

He wanted to leave a little bit of eternity there as well, but he didn't have a pocket knife handy. Someone had left a plastic fork there between the slats of the table, and he settled for that. He began to carve out the A and the L between all the other immortal letters of love. The first tine of the fork broke off, but the middle one seemed to hold out as he put their names in a groove.

Allura raised an eyebrow. "Is this some human courting ritual?"

"Something like that," Lance replied quickly.

"Mm, mm, mm." She licked her fingertips. "I _must_ bring this back to space. It will certainly solve any diplomacy problems we ever have."

Lance smiled to himself. Just when he thought Allura couldn't get any more awesome, she proved him wrong.

Just as he took the last, delicious bite, the first drops began to pour down. If Paulo hadn't already put the _closed_ sign down, he might've gone back for one more for the road. He held out his and they sprinted together through the raindrops. Unlike a warm, summer rain, this was a squall.

"Hurry, follow me!" Lance had to scream above the rising storm.

They ran together as rain pelted against them. An untethered umbrella soared past them on the empty beach. Giddiness and adrenaline filled him as they bolted hand in hand up the path. Cold rain slicked down his back, but the warmth of his fingers entwined in hers was all he knew.

"There!"

They ducked under an awning. At that moment, he'd never wanted to kiss her more, and that was saying something, as his want-to-kiss-Allura meter had been running at 100% for _years_.

"Lance..." she said softly.

He leaned in just a little, and she pulled him down the rest of the way. His hands slipped into her soft white hair. The wind changed, and a wave of rain cascaded over them. He broke apart with a shriek as the cold hit him.

"Oh, maybe there is an downside to those lovely... knot things," Allura said.

"I don't mind garlic breath," Lance replied..

"Well, good because I'm going to be eating a lot in the future."

Several of the shops near them had already closed early.

"We'll just have to keep going," he said. “My house is near here.”

They rushed back into the downpour. Water sluiced down the streets, and the streetlights already glowed orange. He saw the familiar path and pushed himself even harder as the first crack of thunder sounded. A flash of lightning made them both let out a little shriek. They were so close, so close, and then the doorknob was in his hands.

He broke into laughter as he brushed back his hair. "Wow, that was close. I didn't expect it'd come in _that_ soon. We're absolutely soaked.”

"I've survived worse," Allura said.

He was still getting through all the introductions. After all, he had a _big_ family. Some might even call it huge, gigantic, or even magnificently big. But to Lance, it was just perfect.

His mother held out two towels. "Come now, you'll catch your cold." She clicked her tongue. "Lance, you knew the storm was coming, and you knew how bad it would be, but you still went. Such a stubborn boy."

Lance rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm not a quitter, mom."

"You never were." His mother smiled and shook her head. "I'll go get something to warm you both up."

"Hey, Princess Allura, you need a little help."

"Good. You can practice for when you 'put lotion on my back.' Veronica said that was a good idea."

He was left speechless at that. Wow, for all her teasing, his sister was seriously aiming for the wingman of the year. Wingwoman? Wingbi? He'd have to figure that one out.

He wrapped her thick white hair up and rubbed it dry.

Allura sighed. "It'll frizz now."

"Aw, it'll still look good." He made awkward finger guns at her. "It always does."

His mother returned. "The shower is open, but with so many people, it won't be open for long."

"You first, Allura. Ladies first."

Allura smiled and hung the towel around her shoulders.

He'd introduced his family to Allura, but this was different. Then, she was a part of Voltron. Now, she was still a part of Voltron, but also the girl he was in love with.

Technically she was that then too, but they hadn’t been dating yet.

His mother had more frown lines than he remembered across her forehead, and she was more plump and had more gray through her thick, dark hair. There was an untold sadness in her eyes as she looked at him.

"You left a boy and came back a man," his mother said. "And I missed it. As grateful I am that you saved us and proud of you, I will always mourn that I missed those years."

Lance couldn’t help but laugh. "Mom... I'm back now. And I'll never go for too long. And If I have to go, I'll make sure to call this time."

She pulled him close in her big arms. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of cinnamon-- had she been cooking or making hot chocolate? The old saying said _You can't go home again_ , and yet Paulo still sold garlic knots and his mother still cooked the same sweets like nothing had ever changed.

He'd seen the stars and fallen in love with a princess from across the galaxy, but Cuba remained largely the same. The same family pictures, the same large bare stove with the wide doors that his mom always had something delicious cooking away.

"You used to be so small," his mother said softly. She patted his head. "Now you are taller that me."

Lance grinned. "I grew real tall, didn't I?"

"Yes. You must have been drinking your milk."

"Actually, I did. There was a cow in space... it's a long story."

"I'm sure you will one day tell us. You always have stories for the whole family."

"Now, are you going to marry this girl who you brought home from across the stars?"

"Mooom, this is the first-ish date. I can't propose that early!"

A familiar voice cut through the room. "Hopefully someday."

Allura was out of the shower, her hair pulled back in a fluffy white towel.

"A-Allura!"

"I like her," his mother said. “She's strong, and knows just what she wants.”

Lance broke into a big smile. Oh, he knew this answer. _I'll take Princess Allura Is The Greatest For 500, Alex._ "Oh! You have no idea! She led us, then she joined us in the Blue Lion. Princess Allura is amazing!"

"Now, hot chocolate to warm up. The rest of the cousins will have to come another day. The storm is a bit much."

Still warm cookies and hot chocolate were laid out. It felt so nostalgic like days after school when he would come home and eat snacks before he finished his last homework. Then it'd be off before dusk to the docks to kick his heels in the salt spray while he nibbled on a garlic knot and watched the setting sun.

"Sorry it didn't turn out like I planned. We'll go out another time, and I'll show you how beautiful the beach is," Lance said.

"What are you talking about?” Allura asked out of confusion. “I had a lovely time. The garlic knots were just as good as you said, and it was wonderful to meet your old friend, Paulo. Oh, and the delicious ice cream! I can't believe my country didn't think of such things."

He left out that ice cream was made from dairy. Allura still hadn't gotten over where milk came from.

"And there's something very beautiful about your Earth storms."

She glanced out to the window. He liked watching the storms too. He reached out and took her hand in his as the reflection of lightning shone past the rain-streaked windows.

Actually, it was a pretty great date after all.


End file.
